The number of criminal offences that can be dealt with by issuing cautions is set to increase.

It follows a consultation on the government’s criminal justice strategy last year.

Home Affairs Minister Bill Malarkey said: ’Further to the consultation on criminal justice, offender management, sentencing and domestic abuse that concluded in August 2018, legislation is being developed to provide for cautions and, in particular, for cautions to be administered with conditions attached.

’Other legislation will provide for certain less serious offences to be capable of being addressed by means of fixed penalty notices.’

The Minister, who was responding to a written House of Keys question from Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey), said the plan was to introduce draft legislation to the Keys by the summer.

Mr Malarkey said the legislation would also assist in the plan to extend the early intervention policy operated as part of the youth justice strategy. But other policy aims for the criminal justice system have suffered delay. That includes sentencing guidelines, parole and probation, which the Minister said had ’not progressed at the originally anticipated speed’.

Mr Malarkey pledged sentencing guidelines will be kept under review, while parole officers had been in talks about possible revision of rules.

He added: ’In respect of probation, the department intends to enact legislation through an offender management bill.

’Given the current legislative programme of the department and, more broadly, of the government, it is likely that this will not be progressed until late on in this administration.’